Today’s Google Doodle celebrates the massive contribution of Dr. Herbert Kleber in the field of drug addiction and substance abuse research. He was born on 19th June, 1934 in Pittsburg, Pennsylvania. Dr. Herbert David Kleber was the first person to believe that addiction is a medical condition rather than a moral failure. Today is the 23rd anniversary of his election to be a member of the National academy of Medicine, a volunteer organization that provides advice on health and medical advice.
Dr. Kleber was a student of Dartmouth College, it was during his curative studies his interest grew up in psychology. Back then the medical field was least interested in research regarding the substance abuse. He observed patients from prison hospital located in Lexington, Kentucky, this hospital used to treat drug addicts. According to his observation, most of the patients revert to drugs after discharge. This made him to research improvised treatment method which was later called as “evidence-based treatment”.
He joined Yale University School of Psychiatry as a faculty member in 1964, here he established the Drug Dependence Unit in 1968. He was also appointed as deputy director for Demand Reduction at the office of National Drug Control Policy by the then President George H.W. Bush in 1989. Dr. Kleber worked on the psychological aspect of drug addiction for 50 years. He published more than 250 research papers and articles on addiction and its treatment, he was also co-editor of the American Psychiatric Press Textbook of Substance Abuse Treatment. He served as mentor for Yale and Columbia Universities. He initiated Division on Substance Abuse at Columbia University. Also he co-founded the National Centre on Addiction and Substance Abuse.
According to his widow Anne Burlock Lawver he was found of dogs. The doodle pictures him while treating a patient also it shows the evolution of an individual is portrayed. Dr. Kleber died last year on 5th October but his treatment methods still continues lit a ray of hope in the many lives around the globe.
American psychiatrist Dr. Hebert Kleber | Image source: Twitter
